Homepage | Sightsee Teochew Prefecture | Condition of Use | Contact
Its main town is Liusha City (流 沙市 Lao10Sua3Chi2), now called Pu'ning City (普 宁 市 Phou42Len10 Chi2): Much development since my previous visit 14 years before this trip. Now there are many high-rise buildings. Moreover buildings have spread from the city to the junction town Chiwei (池 尾 Ti10Bue4) in the west and adjoining towns to the east. When we visited in 2011, a new part of the city had sprouted up to the north. A hot spring hotel, Puning Jinsha Hotel (普宁金沙温泉大酒店), and whole sale markets are located here.
We bought VCDs on Teochew children songs and Teochew operas from a shop beside the hotel. I also bought atlas and Teochew dictionary from a bookshop situated a short distance to the right of the hotel.
Panlongge Temple (盘龙 阁 Phuan10Len10kod0): Built during Qing Dynasty in year 1875-1899. It is the biggest temple complex in Puning and is beautifully built. Well maintained, has new extension area of a gateway, temples and pagoda further up the hill. Worth a visit.
Peifeng Pagoda (培 峰 塔 Pue10Hon3Thad0): The pagoda was built in 1742. It has 7 tiers, 36 m high. One of the 8 old scenic spots in Puning. Very poorly maintained. Nothing much to see.
Jinye Hotel (金 叶 大 酒 店 Kim3Hiod4 Tua0Ziu42Tiam5) 3★: Very good. The rooms were comparable to those of 4★ Temeisi Hotel in Jieyang City and better than those of 4★ Longhu Hotel in Shantou.
Puning Jinsha Hotel (普宁金沙温泉大酒店) When re-visited in Apirl 2011, we stayed here. It was a hot spring resort hotel and it had a beautiful lobby. It had hot-spring swimming pool and hot-spring spa pools. Unfortunately the spa pools for males and females were separated, so my wife and I could not contact each other because we did not bring along our mobile phones. There was also a large and excellent place for exercise and relaxation above the swimming pool and spa pools, next to the dining area.
Lunch: Good, including Puning bean curd cake (普 宁 豆 干 Phou42Len10 Tao0Kua`3).
Dinner (at Pu'ning Qiao Lian Restaurant 普 宁 侨 联 酒 家): Very good.
Hengshan New Village (横 山 新 乡 Hue`3Sua`3 Sin3Hio`3): Near the main road, opposite Big Dam (大 坝Tua0Pa5) market town. Our paternal cousins live in 2 double storey terrace houses. They obtained their water from wells in their premises using hand pumps. During my first visit in 1991, behind the row of terrace houses used to be paddy fields, but by 2005, these fields were either used to grow cash crops or were reclaimed to build houses. During my visit in 1991, the nearby stream was very clear and my relatives washed clothes there. However during my visit in 2005, the stream had become very badly polluted and evil smelling. In 2011 new buildings were being built and drainage was better.
In 1991 on both sides of the main road were paddy fields but by 2005, both sides of the road were lined with buildings and there was an overhead pedestrian bridge across the main road.
Hengshan Village (横 山 乡 Hue`3Sua`3Hio`3)
During my second visit, my cousins’ mother still lived in the Old Village (which is a short distance further in from the New Village) and worked on a tiny plot of farm, planting vegetables. Her dwelling was actually a tiny corner of an ancestral shrine. The big pond by then was abandoned, covered with water hyacinth, and was no longer used for rearing fish. Many of the houses in the old village had been abandoned, some have collapsed. Much of the farmland was also abandoned. The villagers had either moved to the new village or beyond. Some worked in Puning City (Liusha 流 沙 Lao10Sua3), others found work in Shenzhen. However nice wall paintings and ornate roofs can still be seen on the ancestral shrines.
Powu Village (坡 乌 乡 Po3Ou3Hio`3, locally called Pi3Ou3Hio`3): It is only a short distance from the main road, a little north of Big Dam (大 坝 Tua0Pa5) market town. Our maternal relatives live there. I saw a well in 2nd Uncles’ courtyard and a shiny water storage tank on the roof, in this way they have their own supply of tap water. Two pigs were also reared in the courtyard. We saw many children. Apparently the 1-child policy was not strictly enforced here. Paddy fields in this village were larger and were worked, not abandoned
Daba (大 坝 Tua0Pa5) market town: I had visited it in 1991, 2005 and 2011. The gateway still looked the same. There appeared to be no development in old Tua0 Pa5 market town, roads were in poor condition and stalls, including cooked food stalls, were very basic and dirty. In 2005 I saw new development nearby but there seemed to be little business activity in the new area. In 2011 there appeared to be a little more business activity..
While I try to ensure accuracy, users shall not hold me responsible for any inaccuracy or oversight.
©Copyright 2009, Tan Peng Boon, Singapore.
Access to this website is free, but copyrights are reserved, i.e. no one is permitted to copy material from this website without my written permission.
E-mail: Kindly e-mail your feedback and requests to pengboon1@yahoo.com.sg